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Kim Hyun-bin

Korea Times Digital Media Reporter

Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.

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Foreign Affairs

Israeli ambassador briefs Korean lawmakers on war with Iran

Israeli Ambassador to Korea Rafael Harpaz delivered a confidential security briefing at the National Assembly on Tuesday at the invitation of People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Yu Yong-weon, focusing on the strategic ramifications of the recent war between Israel and Iran. The closed-door session, attended by lawmakers from the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, the National Defense Committee and the Intelligence Committee, examined the broader impact of the conflict on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. Rep. Yu, who hosted the session, emphasized the need to understand shifting global security dynamics. “The recent military conflict between Israel and Iran presents significant implications that extend beyond the Middle East to the broader global security landscape,” he said. “This forum was arranged to gain an in-depth understanding of the evolving security dynamics and explore opportunities to strengthen security and diplomatic cooperation between [South] Korea and Israel.” He added that the issue holds particular relevance for South Korea. “Considering the close rela

Jul 9, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Israeli ambassador briefs Korean lawmakers on war with Iran
Foreign Affairs

Korea, China vow to bolster relations at APEC

Korea and China are stepping up communication across multiple levels of government, following a renewed commitment by their leaders to deepen bilateral ties. Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yun-joo met with Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Dai Bing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in central Seoul, Monday, to discuss the overall direction of Korea-China relations. Park assessed that ties between the two countries have been progressing smoothly since the inauguration of President Lee Jae Myung earlier this year. He proposed that the two sides deepen cooperation in various areas around the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, set to be held in Gyeongju in November. Park called for close coordination to ensure the event serves as a springboard for more mature and sustainable development of Korea-China ties. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the APEC summit, which would mark his first visit to Korea in more than a decade. His last visit was in July 2014, during the Park Geun-hye administration. Leaders from other major economies, including U.S. Pr

Jul 8, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Korea, China vow to bolster relations at APEC
Foreign Affairs

Italian envoy meets Pohang mayor to boost bilateral city ties

Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto met with Pohang Mayor Lee Kang-deok Sunday to discuss deepening municipal ties between Korea and Italy, the southeastern port city said Sunday. The meeting at the ambassador’s residence in Seoul on July 4, at the invitation of the Italian Embassy, followed Gatto’s visit to the 2025 Pohang International Fireworks Festival in June. The ambassador praised the hospitality and civic energy she witnessed during the event and introduced several Italian cities as potential partners for sister or friendship city agreements. According to city officials, Gatto noted that Pohang’s development goals — particularly in culture, the arts, environment, education and high-tech industries — align with the direction of Italy’s urban diplomacy. She emphasized that such exchanges should be based on trust and built gradually for long-term, meaningful cooperation. Mayor Lee said the meeting served as a valuable opportunity to expand Pohang’s global partnerships, especially as the city accelerates efforts to grow future-oriented industries such as secondary

Jul 7, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Italian envoy meets Pohang mayor to boost bilateral city ties
Companies

KEZAD Group emerges as key gateway for Korean businesses expanding globally

Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi, or KEZAD Group, is fast becoming a key hub for Korean businesses seeking to expand into the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. As the United Arab Emirates’ largest operator of integrated economic zones, KEZAD offers a fully developed, investor-ready platform tailored for companies navigating today’s shifting global trade landscape. The deepening economic relationship between Korea and the UAE underpins this growing partnership. In 2023, bilateral trade between the two nations reached nearly $21 billion, making the UAE Korea’s second-largest trading partner in the Arab world. With the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) now in effect and a UAE sovereign pledge to invest $30 billion in Korea’s strategic sectors, ties between the two countries are entering a new phase of cooperation. KEZAD plays a central role in this development. Spanning 550 square kilometers across 12 economic zones, KEZAD accounts for more than half of the UAE’s industrial land. Its strategic location near Khalifa Port — one of the region’s most advanced

Jul 7, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
KEZAD Group emerges as key gateway for Korean businesses expanding globally
Foreign Affairs

UAE Business Forum spotlights strategic ties, emerging opportunities for Korea-UAE collaboration

Partnership between Korea and the United Arab Emirates has evolved into a model of regional cooperation, and economic cooperation can further improve in sectors such as energy and biotech, top officials from the UAE said Friday. They underscored the importance of strategic ties between the two nations at a UAE Business Forum, which was held under The Korea Times' Global Business Club (GBC) and jointly hosted by the newspaper, UAE Embassy in Korea, Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) Group and UAE Youth Councils. Bringing together senior government officials, business leaders and young professionals, the forum highlighted the growing depth and diversity of Korea-UAE relations, spanning clean energy, advanced manufacturing, biotech and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. Delivering the welcoming address, UAE Ambassador to Seoul Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi emphasized that the bilateral relationship has evolved into a model of regional cooperation. “The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Korea partnership is poised to become a model of economic cooperation between the Middle E

Jul 7, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
UAE Business Forum spotlights strategic ties, emerging opportunities for Korea-UAE collaboration
Politics

Return to Cheong Wa Dae ignites debate over protest freedoms

As the president prepares to return to Cheong Wa Dae, legal uncertainty is mounting over how to regulate protests and rallies near the iconic compound, also known as the Blue House, which served as the presidential office and residence until 2022. With a key legal provision restricting demonstrations within 100 meters of the presidential residence now expired, concerns are mounting that protests could soon be legally held directly in front of the Blue House. The constitutional basis for the decades-old restriction was effectively nullified after the Constitutional Court ruled in 2022 that it imposed an undue limitation on basic rights and ordered lawmakers to revise the law by May 31, 2024 — a deadline that passed without action from the National Assembly. Until now, police had relied on Article 11 of the Assembly and Demonstration Act to prohibit protests near presidential residences. The law was interpreted broadly to cover the outer perimeter of the Blue House, with authorities routinely denying protest permits for areas just outside its northern gate. But following the court’s

Jul 7, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Return to Cheong Wa Dae ignites debate over protest freedoms
Law & Crime

Special counsel seeks arrest warrant for ex-president over martial law bid

Korea’s special prosecutor on Sunday requested an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol in relation to his declaration of emergency martial law in December 2024. Investigators suggest the actions could constitute insurrection and obstruction of justice. The high-stakes decision by Special Counsel Cho Eun-suk’s team comes less than three weeks after launching a probe into the so-called “12/3 Emergency Decree” scandal. The impeached president stands accused of orchestrating efforts to impose martial law to quell nationwide unrest, allegedly violating several laws, including abuse of power and falsifying official documents. “We filed for a warrant at 5:20 p.m. today with the Seoul Central District Court,” Deputy Special Prosecutor Park Ji-young said during a press briefing. Details of the charges and the length of the filing were not disclosed. “We will provide sufficient explanation through the legal process,” Park added, declining to elaborate ahead of a court hearing. The investigation has intensified in recent weeks, with several of Yoon’s former aides — i

Jul 6, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Special counsel seeks arrest warrant for ex-president over martial law bid
Defense

Korea opts out of Apache helicopters, betting on drones and AI

Korea has effectively abandoned its plan to acquire 36 additional Apache attack helicopters, shifting its defense priorities toward unmanned systems and advanced technologies in response to evolving trends in modern warfare. The second phase of Korea’s heavy attack helicopter acquisition program — which sought to purchase U.S.-made AH-64E Apache helicopters by 2028 at a projected cost of more than 3 trillion won, or $2.2 billion — was effectively scrapped after nearly all of its funding was eliminated in a supplementary budget approved Friday. Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the People Power Party said 97 billion won of the 100 billion initially allocated was cut, with the remaining 3 billion reassigned. Yu welcomed the decision, citing the increasing vulnerability of helicopters to low-cost missile and drone attacks — a vulnerability highlighted by recent developments on the battlefield in Ukraine. “The reconsideration of Apache procurement is a positive step,” he said. “We need to invest in drones and other cutting-edge systems.” The Apache purchase was initially approved under th

Jul 6, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Korea opts out of Apache helicopters, betting on drones and AI
Foreign Affairs

ASEAN-Korea Centre focuses on waste solutions in Manila

The ASEAN-Korea Centre held its 2025 Investment and Market Research Mission in Manila, a two-day seminar on Thursday and Friday that aimed to strengthen cooperation between Korea and the ASEAN Maritime countries through innovation in sustainable waste management. The event brought together government officials and business leaders from Korea and five ASEAN nations — Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore — to exchange insights on environmental policy, technology and circular economy practices. In his opening remarks, ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary General Kim Jae-shin reflected on his time as Korea’s ambassador to the Philippines and highlighted the growing urgency of cross-border cooperation on environmental issues. “It was a real pleasure to be back in Manila, a place I was fortunate to call home during my term as ambassador from 2015 to 2018,” Kim said. “The Philippines is not only blessed with its diverse natural landscapes and rich culture but has also made impressive strides in development — with that signature Filipino smile.” Kim noted that the P

Jul 3, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
ASEAN-Korea Centre focuses on waste solutions in Manila
Foreign Affairs

Gyeonggi governor, Japanese envoy discuss bilateral cooperation

Gyeonggi Province Gov. Kim Dong-yeon met with Japanese Ambassador to Korea Koichi Mizushima on Wednesday, marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization between Korea and Japan and discussing ways to expand cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting at the provincial government office, Kim said, "Although Korea and Japan have experienced many ups and downs over the years, we are our closest neighbors. I’m pleased to see that our relationship is developing in a very positive direction." He added that Gyeonggi Province, as the center of Korea’s economy and industry, hopes to see increased cooperation with Japan across various fields, including economic exchange, investment, people-to-people ties and cultural exchange. Mizushima emphasized the importance of strengthening ties not only at the national level but also among local governments. He noted that Korea is a key partner for Japan in tackling various shared challenges and expressed hope for deeper economic cooperation moving forward. Since forging a sisterhood relationship with Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture i

Jul 3, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Gyeonggi governor, Japanese envoy discuss bilateral cooperation
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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.